A day after the Telstra Premiership’s spectacular season launch at Birchgrove Oval, the National Museum of Australia has brought the game’s history to life in a landmark exhibition that opened in Canberra today.

The exhibition - League of Legends: 100 Years of Rugby League in Australia - celebrates the game’s 100 years through a collection of artifacts and memorabilia that has never been assembled before, including personal items of Dally Messenger, Clive Churchill, Arthur Beetson and legendary broadcaster Frank Hyde.

Rugby League Centenary Committee Chairman, Mr Colin Love AM, today officially unveiled the exhibition, with Rugby League Immortals Reg Gasnier AM, Graeme Langlands and John Raper OBE, Joyce Churchill, the widow of Immortal Clive Churchill, Steve Mortimer OAM, Ron Coote AM,  ARL Chief Executive, Mr Geoff Carr and NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, among the guests.

The exhibition will open to the public in Canberra tomorrow, Saturday, March 8.

League of Legends explores some of the milestones in the history of Rugby League since its inception 100 years ago.

The earliest memento of the game’s breakaway from rugby union in the exhibition is the NSW cap presented to Dally Messenger for competing in the first Rugby League match played on Australian soil - the 1907 NSW v NZ All Golds clash. It is among several of Messenger’s personal items.

Other items include Tedda Courtney’s jersey from the 1908-09 Kangaroo tour; a match ball used in England on the 1911-12 Kangaroo tour; Clive Churchill’s shoulder pads and 1948 Test jersey; Arthur Beetson’s Queensland jersey worn in the inaugural State of Origin clash in 1980; Steve Menzies’ headgear; and the card table, binoculars, stop-watch, headphones and radio equipment used by legendary broadcaster Frank Hyde.

The silverware on display includes the game’s first Premiership trophy – the Royal Agricultural Society Shield - the World Cup and iconic regional trophies such as the Maher Cup, Bulimba Cup and Foley Shield.

“Without hesitation I would say that never before in its 100-year history has our game produced anything that has come remotely near to matching this marvellous collection of treasures, stories and memories,” Mr Love said.

“I would like to convey my special thanks to Craddock Morton, the Director of the National Museum of Australia, and Guy Hansen, senior curator here and the driving force behind the exhibition League of Legends.

“It is a fantastic passing parade of the 100-year story – our own Aladdin’s Cave, really, when you consider the priceless nature of so many of the items on display.”

The exhibition will travel to Brisbane in July to coincide with the second State of Origin clash, then to Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum in September during the Telstra Premiership Finals Series, before heading to Townsville and Melbourne.